Cure for OCD?

I always knew I was overly obsessed with order. My desk at work, my schedule, my house. Everything in its place of course. The best cure for OCD is to marry a person who is anything but OCD. My husband is a slob. I went thru horrible attacks of panic when I married him. Nothing was ever in its place, my schedule was totally a mess. He changed things daily as to when he wanted things done. When I was late for work, he didnt care. When we were late for an appointment, he didnt care. I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. After 8 years of marriage, I am still upset over my house being a mess and not knowing where everything is but am dealing better with it. Funny how that can change just because someone else wont cooperate with your disfunction. I am in charge of everything but in charge of nothing. Receipts for taxes are misplaced, cabinets are a mess, beds are unmade, bathroom is strewn. I can never remember anything anymore. No longer OCD I guess but sure liked it better than the way I feel now.

Well you know I have OCD and I'm a neat person, but for me personally, it has nothing to do with OCD, I just like living in a clean, comfortable enviornment. My mom is the same way, she's like a little kid. She brings her stuff out and then leaves it out and doesn't put it away. For years I would put all of her stuff away and I think she just got used to the fact that I would put all her stuff away for her, but not anymore. Now I just leave it where she puts it. For instance, once she left the plastic dustpan on the garage floor below her car. Well sorry to say the dustpan is no more because she ran it over! lol (True Story)

The funny thing is my mom clompains about having to clean, but 3/4 of the stuff she cleans is stuff she never put away or a mess she made that never cleaned up to begin with!

But I digress, point being that I'm a neat person, and although I have OCD my OCD doesn't play into or drive the fact that I'm a neat person. My grandmother kept her house so clean that even her dirt was clean, but then again, she doesn't have OCD. I mean there is a line between just being a slob and being generally neat, and from what you've said your husband is bordering on slob.

I will say that I don't think it's a great idea for someone who is OCD about cleanliness expose themselves right away to a situation like you have as it could cause alot of anxiety and a panic attack. There's really no cure for OCD, but medication and therapy combined is the best treatment!

You are very wise. You are right when you say you shouldnt expose yourself immediately to my kind of situation. I really did almost have a breakdown. I found myself just sitting there not doing anything because my mind was so confused about the confusion around me. He left keys in cars, never did I do that. He left doors unlocked, I always checked them a million times before bed. He changes the way the livestock is fed at least 30 times a year. I always do the same things at the same times. Oh well, I have found that my daughter is the same way about things as I was. Hope she marries a neat organized man who will understand her when she is obsessing.

Oh well, I have found that my daughter is the same way about things as I was. Hope she marries a neat organized man who will understand her when she is obsessing.

Anna-

You have to understand there are two theroies of thought when it comes to why people have OCD. First off, it's hereditary and were born with it. Secondly, we learn how to be this way from our enviornment and watching others. Simply put, there's evidence to support both claims, but for me I believe that OCD is a reaction that we have to our enviornment and in some part, modeling behavior. If OCD is hereditary, why don't very young children exhibit these symptoms right away? Why do people develop OCD at all sorts of different ages?

In the case of your daughter, it sounds like she's starting to model your behavior. I would suggest that if it's starting to become a significant problem for her that you get her into see a cognitive behavioral specialist that can help her get rid of these early symptoms of OCD. Children are easier to work with and will respond very well to therapy at an early age.

My daughter is turning 21 in Feb. She has had this ever since I can remember. Probably not as an elementary student but soon after she started high school. In one way OCD is a good thing but it can take over your life at times. I hope she has better control over it than I do.